


The Porch

by Debi_C



Series: Forever Love [6]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s), Post-Ascension, fixit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-15
Updated: 2011-10-15
Packaged: 2017-10-24 15:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/265162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Debi_C/pseuds/Debi_C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set right after A Little Bit Of Heaven.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Porch

Jack stepped outside the brightly lit cabin onto the porch of Janet's new home. The party inside was warm, loud, and fun; the food was filling, the drinks intoxicating and the friends dear. It was Cassie's 18th birthday; she'd soon be leaving the small town of Elk Horn behind to attend the University of Chicago in pursuit of her medical career. This party was to celebrate her adulthood, her mother's retirement and their life together since the small girl had come into all of their lives on an alien planet. This last summer of hers had been spent in the quiet Minnesota mountain village with her mother and her adopted uncles enjoying the last carefree days of youth.

When Janet had moved up to the sleepy mountain town after her retirement from the Air Force, none of the adults had been sure that the teen would embrace the bucolic lifestyle of the quaint village in the mountains, but they had all been pleasantly surprised by her positive attitude. She'd always been a special child. Ever since they had brought her back from Hanka, she had shown remarkable adaptability and strength of character. Cassie had grown into a beautiful, vivacious young woman. She had charmed the local boys completely. Her escort for the night was young Ray Martin, son of Charlie Martin, an old friend of Jack's from his youth.

It had been a long enjoyable day with their friends barbecuing and reminiscing of the days spent in Colorado Springs and a few of their edited adventures with the SGC. But Jack had been living up in the quiet mountains for two years now and he needed a break from the lights and noise of the celebration.

He came out the screen door to the edge of the wooden walkway and leaned against the rail that surrounded the porch. He looked out across the grassy meadow that served as the front lawn. It was soft and quiet out here, a light breeze was blowing through the trees that bordered the fence line. A few fireflies sparkled in thetwilight, dancing on the fresh cool air.

After a few minutes Daniel came out to stand quietly beside him. He gently bumped up against Jack. "Nice night."

"Uh huh."

"Good party."

"Uh huh."

"Whatcha thinking?"

"Stuff." He turned to lean into the younger man.

"Oh, I see." Daniel leaned back and looked into Jack's eyes, but saw the man was looking past him at something on the porch. He turned his head to follow his line of sight. "Or not."

Jack left the porch railing and took three steps toward a rocking chair that was sitting in the corner. There was an object leaning against it, indistinguishable in the encroaching dusk. Jack reached for it and as he picked it up, Daniel could see it was a guitar. The older man hefted it gingerly then carefully sat down in the chair cradling the instrument in his arms. He sent his fingers strumming gently down the strings.

"I didn't know you played." Daniel said softly.

"Child of the sixties remember?" Jack smiled at his lover. "You had to strum a little to be cool."

Daniel nodded then eased over to sit on the porch railing next to the older man. "If you strum, then you have to sing."

"Of course, what good would all that coolness be without verse and tunes." Jack shifted the instrument to cradle it in his arms.

The sounds of the gentle playing wafted into the quiet twilight and after a few minutes the other revelers came out onto the porch to join them. Janet came out to lean on the porch railing that the two men had abandoned. Sam Carter carried a chair to sit in and Teal'c stationed himself behind her in an unconsciously guardian position. Cassie and her young man slipped across the porch and sat down together on the wooden floor.

"Whose guitar?" Jack said looking at the two youngsters.

Ray blushed a bit in the lamplight barely noticeable on his dusky skin. "I was teaching Cassie some chords."

Jack nodded then began to pick a refrain. "It's a good one."

Ray nodded. "Dad gave it to me. Said you can't go wrong with a Gibson."

Jack smiled, "You're Dad is a smart man."

Janet smiled over at her old friend listening to his expertise with the instument. "Okay, now you've done it Jack. You have to play something."

Jack only nodded. "All right, but, well, you asked for it." He smiled evilly, "You have been warned." He started strumming the guitar more precisely and humming the refrain, then he looked around to the group and started to sing in a quiet somber voice.

Hey now, all you sinners  
Put your lights on, put your lights on

He looked at Sam and Teal'c. She smiled. He nodded. Jack proceeded.

Hey now, all you lovers  
Put your lights on, put your lights on  
Hey now, all you killers  
Put your lights on, put your lights on

He then glanced at the two youngsters sitting on the floor in front of him.

Hey now, all you children  
Leave your lights on, you better leave your lights on

Then he closed his eyes, and shook his head.

Cause there's a monster living under my bed  
Whispering in my ear

He then looked at Daniel who was still perched on the porch railing next to him.

There's an angel, with a hand on my head  
He say I've got nothing to fear

Looking up at the sky, he sang a little louder.

There's a darkness living deep in my soul  
I still got a purpose to serve  
So let your light shine, deep into my home  
God, don't let me lose my nerve  
Lose my nerve  
Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now  
Wo oh hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now  
Hey now, all you sinners  
Put your lights on, put your lights on  
Hey now, all you children  
Leave your lights on, you better leave your lights on  
Because there's a monster living under my bed  
Whispering in my ear

He glanced up at Teal'c, who nodded in comprehension. Then he looked again at Daniel who reached out and lay his hand on Jack's shoulder.

But there's an angel, with a hand on my head  
He say's I've got nothing to fear

Daniel smiled and joined his tenor to Jack voice.

La illaha illa Allah  
We all shine like stars  
La illaha illa Allah  
We all shine like stars  
Then we fade away

As he put down the guitar on his lap. Cassie piped up. "I didn't know that you played guitar, Uncle Jack."

He smiled at the young lady at his feet. "Oh, the old dog hasn't shown you all his tricks yet, kiddo."

"And Uncle Daniel?" She looked over at the younger man. "Do you play too?"

Before he could answer, Jack grinned at him. "Your Uncle Daniel is always full of surprises, darlin'." Jack grinned at his partner. "And you know if he does anything, he does it well."

Janet nodded. "He's surprised me too many times to count."

Daniel looked warily at the crowd of friends. "I haven't performed for an audience in more than ten years. You don't even want to go there." He looked at the older man. "Quick, play something else and get me out of this."

Jack smiled and handed the guitar to the younger man. "Nah. I know you've got one in you at least."

Daniel sighed and shook his head at Jack's encouraging smile. He took the instrument from his lover's hand. He leaned back on the railing and started to play smiling gently down at the strings, as if he were too shy to look at his audience. The song was slow and sung softly, the strings picked slowly and precisely in Spanish style.

He deals the cards as a meditation  
And those he plays never suspect  
He doesn't play for the money he wins  
He doesn't play for respect  
He deals the cards to find the answer  
The sacred geometry of chanceThe hidden law of a probable outcome  
The numbers lead a dance

He peeked out at the small group from beneath his long hair and then smiled over at his lover. Jack nodded and smiled back.

I know that the spades are swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of his heart  
He may play the jack of diamonds  
He may lay the queen of spades  
He may conceal a king in his hand  
While the memory of it fades

Jack nodded, a somber expression on his face. Then his voice joined with Daniel's in the refrain.

I know that the spades are swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of my heart

Then Daniel continued on alone gazing at his partner.

And if I told you that I loved you  
You'd maybe think there's something wrong  
I'm not a man of too many faces  
The mask I wear is one  
Those who speak know nothing  
And find out to their cost  
Like those who curse their luck in too many places  
And those who fear are lost

Then the two joined their voices again.

I know that the spades are swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of my heart

Then Jack continued on alone.

And if I tell you that I love you . . .  
don't think there's something wrong.

As the song ended, the two men looked at each other in perfect understanding.

"You two are great," Ray said in amazement. "You could record, I think."

"Nope, one artist in the family is enough." Jack laughed at the youngster's enthusiasm. "I'm just an old retired war horse."

"Sing one more, Uncle Jack." Cassie pleaded.

O'Neill looked around. Carter laughed softly and nodded. "C'mon, Jack. I mean who knew?"

"Indeed, O'Neill. Your voice is most pleasing." Teal'c added.

"Well, okay. But this is the last one. Then we've got to get home and let the animals out before they eat the leather sofa."

Daniel gratefully handed the instrument back to him. Jack then smiled at his lover. "I'll probably never live this one down with it being all sappy and everything." He settled back into the chair and started in a low alto. Then he looked up at his Daniel and began to sing.

Where you are that's where I wanna be  
And through your eyes all the things I wanna see  
And in the night you are my dream  
You're everything to me  
You're the love of my life  
And the breath in my prayers  
Take my hand lead me there  
What I need is you here  
I can't forget the taste of your mouth  
From your lips the heavens pour out  
I can't forget when we are one  
With you alone I am free

Everyday every night, you alone  
You're the love of my life  
Everyday, every night, you alone,  
You're the love of my life

We go dancing in the moonlight  
With the starlight in your eyes  
We go dancing till the sunrise  
You and me we're gonna dance, dance, dance

Daniel began to sing with him, their voices blending to where the listeners couldn't pick one from the other.

You're the love of my life  
And the breath in my prayers  
Take my hand lead me there  
What I need is you here

After the song was over, there was a pause of silence. The friends that had gathered that night could easily see the depth of the love that had driven Jack to despair and suicidal ideology over the loss of his friend and soulmate when Daniel had supposedly died from the radiation poisioning and they could also sense the quality of the commitment that had called Daniel back from his sojourn with theAscendeds to save his soulmate.

When the moment had passed, Jack handed the guitar back to Ray. "Thanks, I appreciate the use. It's a good one."

"It's only as good as the guitarist." The young man replied with a thoughtful smile.

"And thanks for the performance." Janet sighed. "I only wish I had a tape recorder."

"Nope, nothing here that hasn't been all along. Besides you'd ruin my reputation as a hard ass." Jack looked up at his Daniel. "Ready to go home?"

"Too late, I'm already there." The younger man bent down, reached for his hand and pulled him to his feet to stand next to him. "But we should probably get back to the cabin to save the furniture."

Jack grinned and winked at the crowd. "Night everybody." The two men stepped off the porch together under the starlight's beneficent glow then disappeared together into the darkness down the trail towards Rock Mountain.

 

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> I just couldn't leave it alone. Beg pardon for a little trip to Elkhorn again. 
> 
> The songs Jack sing are from Santanna's album Superstition, 
> 
> Put Your Lights On, 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfSaXg19bj4
> 
> and You Are The Love Of My Life; 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_aqe1wu7eE
> 
> and for Daniel's song. Sting's Ten Summoners Tales, The Shape of My Heart.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hejHkPaoPWw


End file.
